28,728 research outputs found
Use of regional climate model simulations as input for hydrological models for the Hindukush-Karakorum-Himalaya region
The most important climatological inputs required for the calibration and validation of hydrological models are temperature and precipitation that can be derived from observational records or alternatively from regional climate models (RCMs). In this paper, meteorological station observations and results of the PRECIS (Providing REgional Climate for Impact Studies) RCM driven by the outputs of reanalysis ERA 40 data and HadAM3P general circulation model (GCM) results are used as input in the hydrological model. The objective is to investigate the effect of precipitation and temperature simulated with the PRECIS RCM nested in these two data sets on discharge simulated with the HBV model for three river basins in the Hindukush-Karakorum-Himalaya (HKH) region. Six HBV model experiments are designed: HBV-Met, HBV-ERA and HBV-Had, HBV-MetCRU-corrected, HBV-ERABenchmark and HBV-HadBenchmark where HBV is driven by meteorological stations data, data from PRECIS nested in ERA-40 and HadAM3P, meteorological stations CRU corrected data, ERA-40 reanalysis and HadAM3P GCM data, respectively. Present day PRECIS simulations possess strong capacity to simulate spatial patterns of present day climate characteristics. However, also some quantitative biases exist in the HKH region, where PRECIS RCM simulations underestimate temperature and overestimate precipitation with respect to CRU observations. The calibration and validation results of the HBV model experiments show that the performance of HBV-Met is better than the HBV models driven by other data sources. However, using input data series from sources different from the data used in the model calibration shows that HBV-Had is more efficient than other models and HBV-Met has the least absolute relative error with respect to all other models. The uncertainties are higher in least efficient models (i.e. HBV-MetCRU-corrected and HBV-ERABenchmark) where the model parameters are also unrealistic. In terms of both robustness and uncertainty ranges the HBV models calibrated with PRECIS output performed better than other calibrated models except for HBV-Met which has shown a higher robustness. This suggests that in data sparse regions such as the HKH region data from regional climate models may be used as input in hydrological models for climate scenarios studies
ENHANCED METHOD FOR AMPLIFYING ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF LACTOPEROXIDASE SYSTEM IN MILK AND DERIVED PRODUCTS BY CARROT EXTRACT AND BETA CAROTENE
OSCN– has been known and well documented as natural antimicrobial
agent generated from the lactoperoxidase system (LPOS) but the antimicrobial
activity exerted from this system is too low for certain food such as milk and
derived products (up to 1.2 log CFU/ml) resulting in the restriction on industrial
development of LPOS. Our previous study concluded that involvement of carrot
extract and beta carotene in LPOS significantly boosted the antimicrobial activity
(up to 6 log CFU/ml) against S. enteritidis. This finding should be continued to
the application on food. Since we found that LPOS generates low antimicrobial
activity on milk and derived product, our research will be conducted on the
application of LPOS plus carrot extract and beta carotene on milk and derived
product. Because the high antimicrobial activity is needed for industrial
purposes, this research may open the way for industrial development of natural
antimicrobial agent from LPOS.
This research will be conducted in three steps of experiment: (1) ensuring
the incredible antimicrobial activity of LPOS plus carrot extract and beta
carotene against three poisonous tropical bacteria: C. jejuni, S. enteritidis, and E.
coli, (2) utilization of LPOS plus carrot extract and beta carotene in milk: full
cream and skimmed milk, and (3) utilization of LPOS plus carrot extract and beta
carotene in milk derived product: yogurt and tropical fruity milk. The
purification of LPO from bovine milk, the complimentary data analysis for
generation of LPOS antimicrobial activity by the addition of carrot extract and
beta carotene will be conducted in Japan and for the application in tropical
poisonous bacteria, milk, and milk derived product will be conducted in
Indonesia.
The outcomes of this research from three step of research are three
international publications at international‐scopus‐indexed‐journals :
International Journal of Dairy Science and one of patent: “enhanced method for
improvement of LPOS antimicrobial activity by involvement of carrot extract and
beta carotene in milk and derived product”.
Keywords: Lactoperoxidase, antimicrobial activity, carrot extract, beta carotene,
milk, derived products
Intellectual Capital: a Focus on Human Capital Reporting Practices of Top Malaysian Listed Companies
This paper aims to examine the extent of human capital (HC) reporting among top Malaysian companies and introduce an HC reporting guideline that can be used by Malaysian companies and regulator. It begins by developing the HC framework based on previous intellectual capital (IC) frameworks. This framework is then used to examine each of the top 100 Malaysian companies listed on the Bursa Malaysia in year 2008. Using the content analysis method, it reviews the annual reports of these companies to determine the extent of HC reporting. The findings of this paper highlight the need for the development of IC framework particularly on HC. HC differences were also identified between Malaysia and other countries such as Sri Lanka and Australia, and it is argued that these differences can be attributed to the social, economic, and political factors
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How the health-seeking behaviour of pregnant women affects neonatal outcomes: findings of system dynamics modelling in Pakistan
Background: Limited studies have explored how health-seeking behaviour during pregnancy through to delivery affect neonatal outcomes. We modelled health-seeking behaviour across urban and rural settings in Pakistan, where poor neonatal outcomes persist with wide disparities.
Methods and findings: A system dynamics model was developed and parameterised. Following validation tests, the model was used to determine neonatal mortality for pregnant women considering their decisions to access, refuse and switch antenatal care services in four provider sectors: public, private, traditional and charitable. Four health-seeking scenarios were tested across different pregnancy trimesters. Health-seeking behaviour in different subgroups by geographical locations and social network effect was modelled. The largest reduction in neonatal mortality was achieved with antenatal care provided by skilled providers in public, private or charitable sectors, combined with the use of institutional delivery. Women’s social networks had strong influences on if, when and where to seek care. Interventions by Lady Health Workers had a minimal impact on health-seeking behaviour and neonatal outcomes after trimester 1. Optimal benefits were achieved for urban women when antenatal care was accessed within trimester 2, but for rural women within trimester 1. Antenatal care access delayed to trimester 3 had no protective impact on neonatal mortality.
Conclusions: System dynamics modelling enables capturing the complexity of health-seeking behaviours and impact on outcomes, informing intervention design, implementation of targeted policies and uptake of services specific to urban/rural settings considering structural enablers/barriers to access, cultural contexts and strong social network influences
CENP-C unwraps the human CENP-A nucleosome through the H2A C-terminal tail
Centromeres are defined epigenetically by nucleosomes containing the histone H3 variant CENP-A, upon which the constitutive centromere-associated network of proteins (CCAN) is built. CENP-C is considered to be a central organizer of the CCAN. We provide new molecular insights into the structure of human CENP-A nucleosomes, in isolation and in complex with the CENP-C central region (CENP-C-CR), the main CENP-A binding module of human CENP-C. We establish that the short alpha N helix of CENP-A promotes DNA flexibility at the nucleosome ends, independently of the sequence it wraps. Furthermore, we show that, in vitro, two regions of human CENP-C (CENP-C-CR and CENP-C-motif) both bind exclusively to the CENP-A nucleosome. We find CENP-C-CR to bind with high affinity due to an extended hydrophobic area made up of CENP-A(V)(532) and CENP-A(V)(533). Importantly, we identify two key conformational changes within the CENP-A nucleosome upon CENP-C binding. First, the loose DNA wrapping of CENP-A nucleosomes is further exacerbated, through destabilization of the H2A C-terminal tail. Second, CENP-C-CR rigidifies the N-terminal tail of H4 in the conformation favoring H4(K20) monomethylation, essential for a functional centromere
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